Railroad Trivia Challenge

^{©April 20, 2008}

This year's contest has ended.
You can still try it out for fun.
The top players will win...

Train Mountain Triennial 2003

Watercolor prints of the Golden Spike engines from T&MC Enterprises

16"x20", signed and numbered by the artist.

The best 2 finishers will receive their choice of these videos: Train Mountain Triennial 2003, Big Little Railways Continued. The top 10 trivia winners will each receive their choice of these fine publications: Grand Scales Quarterly, 7+RAILROADER
Some winners will receive Watercolor prints of the Golden Spike Engines from T&MC Enterprises

Trivia Challenge #5
Choose the best answer.
20 Questions,
(average score; 13 correct)

Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question. The correct answers are marked but hidden. To see an answer, use your cursor to "highlight" the answer. Hold your mouse button down as you drag the pointer across the answers, the white letters will be revealed.

Example: (correct) hidden text in parenthesis. Hold the mouse button down and drag the pointer across the hidden text.

Read the Challenge Rules

1. Where did Richard Trevithick build and test this steam railway locomotive in 1804? United Kingdom
United States
South Africa
Australia
United Kingdom correct

2. On an air brake system, what is "the big hole"? Emergency brake position
An open or defective brake pipe
Full brake release
Full brake apply
Emergency brake position correct

3. The electric Multiple Unit control system was invented by Frank J. Sprague?
Erik Van de Poole
Thomas E. Edison
Frank J. Sprague correct
Alexander G. Bell

4. In railroad steam service, what does the term "Tallow pot " refer to? The locomotive fireman or The fireman's lubricant container
The locomotive fireman correct
The fireman's lubricant container correct
Hot stew on the cabooses' pot belly stove
The Pullman Car's newest porter.

5. The Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul and Pacific Railroad's "Little Joe" electric locomotives were originally built for export to what Country? USSR
Cuba
North Korea
China
USSR correct

6. When you are given the "highball", you have a clear track ahead.
it's quitting time, head for the pub
activate the rotating warning beacon
you must apply full forward power
you have a clear track ahead correct

7. The Western Maryland Railway was chartered in what year? 1852
1852 correct
1869
1937
1899

8. An explosive warning device that is attached to the rail is called a torpedo ?
black flag
bangor signal
claymore signal
torpedo correct

9. What is a Cabbage Car? A combination Cab and Baggage car.
A combination Cab and Baggage car. correct
Locomotive with the prime mover removed.
A clocking car.
A caboose with a bay window.

10. "Doodlebug" is the common name for what? Self propelled rail car.
Hand car.
Track maintenance speeder with no roof.
Self propelled rail car. correct
A slacker or time waster.

11. What is "Three Point Protection" in railroading? System to protect workers between cars.
Safety harness seat belt for the engineer.
System to protect workers between cars. correct
"Fail Safe" ground fault signaling system.
Brake system for penalty applications.

12. In which film did the main characters travel on the "20th Century Limited"? North by North West.
Some Like It Hot.
Silver Streak.
The Emperor of the North.
North by North West. correct

13. In the "Harry Potter" movie "Chamber of Secrets", Harry nearly collides with a clock tower from what London railway station? St. Pancras Station
King's Cross Station
Victoria Station
Paddington Station
St. Pancras Station correct

14. Train scenes from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" were filmed at Durango and Silverton.
Cumbres & Toltec
Roaring Camp and Big Trees
Durango and Silverton correct
D&RGS

15. The "RPO Car" can also be called The Mail Car.
The Baggage Car
The Mail Car correct
The Business Car
The Pallor Car

16. Crummy, brainbox, shanty, and hack are all names for the caboose.
the station agent office
the conductor
the engineer
the caboose correct

17. This locomotive is from the Alaska Railroad.
Santa Fe, freight div.
Western Illinois Railroad
GMO
Alaska Railroad correct

18. The most famous railroad photograph of all time was taken taken by Andrew J. Russell.
Andrew J. Russell correct
Ansel Adams
Mathew B. Brady
Alfred Stieglitz

19. The first official run of a Great Western broad gauge train to Bristol
departed from Paddington Station?
King's Cross Station
Victoria Station
Paddington Station correct
St. Pancras Station

20. A "frog" is the x shaped section on a turnout.
a track laborer
the y section of track used as a "turn-around"
the x shaped section on a turnout correct
the conductor of the train

email address
we will email you with your score in a few days.

your comments

(be sure of your answers, you can only play once)
We will not share, trade or sell your email address or personal information to anyone, PERIOD!

This test has 20 Questions, Average Score 12 Correct

Thanks to these folks for submitting questions:

Ian Sheppard, Gary N. Saxton, Ira Schreiber, Lenny Leavitt, Eugene Burns, Chris Allan, Michael Engebretson, Mel Agne, Nic Rinke, Jason Mitchell, Steve Wersing, Ed Kelley

How well did you do?

If you scored less than 8 correct answers, sorry. Have you ever considered go-cart racing or golf as a hobby?

If you scored 8-10 correct answers, you are interested in railroading. Keep visiting our site.

If your score was in the 11-13 correct range, you're an average railfan. Your railroad knowledge is way above the average non-railfan.

A score of 14-15 correct. Good Job. Your in the right place.

If your score was 16-17 correct, Great job. Your score puts you in the upper levels. It's a very difficult test and you really have to be good to get this score.

If your score was between 18-19 correct, GREAT JOB! You really know your railroad trivia. You are among the very best!

If you scored 20 correct. Perfect!

Be sure to take our next Trivia Challenge,
Winter 2005!

Railroad Trivia Challenge Rules

The questions.

The questions have been carefully researched. In all cases, the source material that was used to write the questions will be the final word. This contest is just for fun. If you think you have a correct answer, and I think it was wrong, you will be asked to write the next contest and grade them all yourself.

The answers.

Select the best answer for each question.

Who can play?

Anyone can play but to be eligible for prizes you must...

...not have won something from us in the past 120 days.
...be at least 18 years of age.
...not submit more that one entry per household or email address.
...not share answers with others (cheat).
...live in my house.

Winners chosen.

The winner(s) will be the entrants with the best score(s). In the case of a tie, the winner(s) will be selected at random.

Prizes.

For Magazine Subscriptions.

Domestic postage will be paid by the publisher. International postage may be the responsibility of the winner. Check with us for details trivia@discoverlivesteam.com

All other prizes

Prizes will be shipped direct from the sponsor. Shipping will be via common carrier, UPS, FedX etc. FOB: the continental US. Normal shipping costs are the responsibility of the sponsor. Additional off shore shipping and export arrangements are the responsibly of the winners. A cash prize in place of the standard prize my be arranged if agreeable to all parties.

Good Luck

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